Mail-bag catcher



A(No Model.) W' G BAILEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

MAIL BAG OATGBER.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. G. BAILEY. 'Y MAIL BAG GATGBBB..

No. 550,471. Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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ANDREW EGRANAM.PHUTUUTHQWASMNGTUNDC,

4 sheetsA-sheet 3.-

(No Model.)

WJG. BAILEY. MAILIBAG GATGHER.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. G. BAILEY.

MAIL BAG GATGHBR.

No. 550,471. I Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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, @v7/m i NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILMOT G. BAILEY, OF IMPERIAL, PENNSYLVANIA.

IVIAI L-BAG CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,471, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed August 22, 1895. Serial No. 560,114. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILMOT G. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Imperial, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which forma a part of this specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in Amail-bag catchers and deliverers of that class or description in which the carrier -arn1, which is pivotally connected with the door of a mail-car, is adapted to catch a mail bag or pouch and disengage it from a crane or deliverer at the side of the track and at the Vsame time deliver a pouch or bag carried thereby to the said crane or deliverer. As one pouch or bag is disengaged from the crane and the other or return pouch caught thereby the crane will automatically swing away from the track. After the carrier has caught the pouch on the crane and delivered the pouch carried thereby it is turned inwardly by the mail-clerk and the pouch removed.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation, looking from the rear, supplied with my improved pouch-catcher, also showing the crane at the side of the track, both the catcher and crane carrying a mailpouch. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the catcher. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showingaportion of the catcherarm and the means for turning the same. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the catcher-arm, showing the lugs by which the bag or pouch to be delivered to the crane is suspended. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the crane. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the catching and releasing devices at the end of the upper arm of the crane. Fig. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the same. Fig 81l is a bottom plan view. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of the means for turning the standard of the crane.

In the said drawings the reference -numera-l 1 designates a mail-car, and 2 the door thereof, provided with rails 3 and 4, which are secured to brackets 5, which in turn are secured to the car. The upper rail 3 is l'lat or rectangular, and the lower rail cylindrical, although this is not essential, and upon these rails the pouch catcher and carrier is slidable. This catcher consists of a vertical bar 6, formed with an aperture 'in its lower end, through which rail 4 passes, and at its upper end is formed with a head 8, having an aperture 9 for the passage of the upper rail 3, and above this head is a plate 9, separated therefrom by blocks 10; Secured to the head is a vertical rod or stud-shaft 12, provided with a sleeve 13, to which is secured the circular end 14 of the catcher-arm 15. This catcher-arm is located between the head and plate 9, and above the latter is a mutilated pinion 16. Engaging with this pinion is a yoke or bifurcated bar 17 the inner side of one of the arms of which is formed with teeth 18, which mesh with the cogs of the pinion. This bar or yoke is pivotally connected with a lever 19, thelower end of which is pivoted to a link 20, which in turn is pivoted to a bracket 21, secured to the bar 6.

. The pinion 16 is provided with a cap 23, having notches or slots 24 for the passage of the yoke, by reciprocating which the catcherarm is swung toward or away from the car. Secured to the arm 15, intermediate its ends, is a forwardly-extending tapering catcher 25, provided with a rearwardly-extending spring 26 on its upper side. On the opposite side the arm 15 is provided with a pouch-holder consisting of an arm 27 and two laterally-extending arms 28 at right angles thereto. To one of these arms is secured a holder 29, consisting of a rearwardly-extending lug formed with an inclined slot' 30 at the end and on the under side provided with a projection 31,

to which are bolted bent springs 32, the ends f roo I inclined spring-arms G9.

with the other holder, except that it is slidable on the arm instead of being lixed thereto, so t-hat it can play thereon, a collar 34 on the arm limiting its outward movement. A coiled spring 35 abuts against the said holder and the arm 27, the tendency of which is to press the holder outward.

The numeral 3G designates an elastic cover on arm 3l, which serves to prevent injury to the ring connected with the pouch, and the numeral 37 designates a rubber or elastic block or buffer to take up the recoil of the catcher when pushed out, and a similar block 37 to take up the shock of the catcher-arm.

The numeral 38 designates a vertical post secured at a suitable distance from the track provided at the top with a bracket 3S and near the bottom with a similar bracket 39. Located in these brackets are cylindrical sleeves 40, provided with iianges 41 and having rectangular bores, with which engages a rotatable rectangular standard 42. Bolts 43, passing through the top and bott-om sleeves, serve to hold the stan dard and sleeves against vertical movement. Above the lower bracket 39 is a bracket 45, having a notch 46 in its upper edge. A cylindrical sleeve 47, with a rectangular bore, works in this bracket and is formed with a flange 48 and lug 49, through the latter of which passes a bolt 50, pivoted to the lower end of a cranked lever 51, which is pivotally Vconnected with the standard. This bolt is adapted to engage with the notch 4G. The long arm of said lever has its upper end bent laterally at a right angle and is adapted to be struck by a pivoted arm 52, connected with a U -shaped plate 53, secured to the standard. The outer end of this arm is cut away on its upper side and provided with a pivoted pin 54, which is adapted to engage 'with a ring 5G on the bottoni of a mail-pouch. Secured to the standard just below said plate is a collar 57, provided with a series of beveled teeth 58, which mesh with a bevel-pinion 59, secured to a shaft j ournaled to the post 3S. At its opposite end this shaft is provided with a grooved half-circle GO, having a pin (5l, with which is connected a chain 62 and rod G3, provided with a weight G4. This weight can be shifted from one side to the other of the half-circle, according to the direction from which the train comes. A coiled spring may be substituted for the weight, if desired. At the upper end the standard is provided with an arm G5 at right angles and rigidly secured thereto and braced by a bar (57. T o the under side of this arm, near its outer end, is secured a forwardly and rearwardly extending catcher-bar GS, the ends of which are bent backward, forming curved or Also secured to said arm is a plate 70, having two downwardly-extending ian ges 7l, one on each side of said bar, and having their ends formed with semicircular recesses or notches 72. The ring, herein after described, connected with the mail-pouch engages with these notches,where by twisting of the pouch is prevented. Located between these flanges is a pouch-holder 73, having a central upwardly extending shank 74, which is secured to the said arm G5. Near each end `the holder 73 is formed with a depression 75, and secured to the arm above the same is a spring 73 for holding the ring with which the pouch is connected on the holder.

The numeral 7 G designates elastic buffers.

The numeral 7 8 designates a mail-pouch provided at top and bottom with a small ring 56, the lower one of which is adapted to engage with the pin 54 of the swinging or pivoted arm 52. to engage a curved hook 79, having a lug SO. This lug prevents accidental disengagement of the hook from the ring, but allows it to be readily detached, when desired. This hook is secured to a large ring 8l, having opposite annular lugs or collars 82 above the hook.

The numeral 83 designates a removable handle having a lug S4, which lits in a recess S5 in the end of the catcherhead and is principally intended for use in case the lever for operating the catcher-bar is injured, although it can be used by the inail-clerk whenever desired.

The crane is preferably made of angleiron filled in by wood, whereby a very stron g and rigid structure is secured.

The operation is as follows The postmaster or station-keeper takes the mail-pouch to be delivered to the car and engages the large ring with one of the holders 73, according to the direction from which the train is approaching. He also turns the pin 54 so that it will point away from the train and engage the lower ring of the mail-pouch therewith, which will hold the arm in ahorizontal position. The clerk on the mail-car slides the catcher to the front end of the car-door and engages the large ring, which is hooked to the pouch to be delivered to the holders 29, which ring engages with the inclined slots 30, with the collars or lugs 82 resting on the holders and the bent springs 32 clasping the rings and holding the pouch in position to be caught by the crane. By making one of the holders yielding the ring can be readily inserted in the slots, and the tension of the coiled spring will prevent accidental displacement or disengagement of the ring. The catcher is then moved back to the rear side of the door. As the catcher on the car approaches the catcher on the crane the arm of the catcher 25 will enter the large ring of the pouch suspended from the crane and the arm 15, striking the ring, will disen gage it from the holder, causing it to drop and be held on the arm 25, the spring 26 preventing it from falling oif. At the same time the catcher-bar 68 will enter the large ring of the pouch carried by the car, and the ring will strike the bumper on the arm 65, disengaging it from the holders 29 and depositing it on the Tith the upper ring is adapted IOO IIO

bar 68, the bent end of which will hold it in place. As the pouch suspended from the crane is detached therefrom the lower arm 52 lwill fall or drop down and strike the bent end of the lever 5l, detaching the same and disengaging the bolt 50 from the notch in the lug of sleeve 47, when the standard will be rotated and swung out of the way by means of the weight in half-circle. After the pouch has been caught and delivered as described the mail-clerk swings the catcher inward by means of the lever and connections, so'as to disengage the pouch therefrom. l

From the above it will be seen that the crane is double-acting-that is to say, will deliver and catch pouches from trains passing in opposite directions, and by shifting the weight or spring connected with the half-oircle it is swung away from the track in the direction of the passing train.

Instead of employing the weight and connections for swinging the standard, a coiled spring may be used, connected with the standard and post, for the same purpose without departing from the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a car, ofthe horizontally movable pouch-catcher and deliverer having a pivoted catcher bar, a forwardly extending catcher arm provided with a spring, the rearwardly extending arm, the holders having inclined slots and provided with bent springs substantially as described.

2. The combination with a car, of the hori- Zontally movable combined pouch-catcher and deliverer, comprising the pivoted catcher bar, having a forwardly extending catcher arm provided with a spring on its upper side, the rearwardly extending deliverer, the holder secured thereto, having an inclined slot and bent springs and tension bolts, the laterally movable holder having an inclined slot and bent spring and the coiled spring bearing against said laterally movable holder; substantially as described.

3. The combination with acar, of the rails, the horizontally movable vertical bar, slidable on said rails, the head and plate, the sleeve,` the catcher bar secured thereto, the mutilated pinion secured to said sleeve, the notched cap, the yoke and the lever and link; substantially as described.

4. The combination with the post, Athe brackets secured thereto, and the rotatable standard, of the brackethaving a notch, the plate provided with a lug having an aperture therein, the crank lever having its upper end bent at a right angle, the pivoted arm with which a mail pouch may be connected, and means substantially as described, for rotating said standard when the bolt is withdrawn from the notched bracket by the pivoted arm striking the lever.

5. The combination with the post and the standard pivotally connected therewith, of the notched bracket secured to the standard, the plate having an apertured lug located above the same, the bolt, the bent lever, the wheel having teeth secured to the standard, the beveled pinion engaging therewith, the shaft, the half circle and weight, and the pivoted or swinging arm, adapted to strike said lever, substantially as and' for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with the post, the top and bottom brackets, the cylindrical sleeves having angular bores and formed with annular flanges, of the angular standard fitting in said sleeves, the retaining pins and the pouch holding arms; substantially as described.

7 The combination with the post and the rotatable standard, of the fixed and pivoted pouch carrying arms, the pouch holder secured to the fixed arm having a depression on its upper side, the flanged plate having semicircular notches in its ends, and the hook on the lower or pivoted arm; substantially as described.

8. The combination with the post, the rotatable standard and the iixed and pivoted pouch carrying arms, of the catcher secured to the xed arm, having its ends bent backwardly forming spring catches; the holders having a depression near each end, the spring above the same, the flanged plate having semicircular recesses in its ends, and the pivoted hook on the pivoted arm; substantially as described.

' 9. As an improved article, a ring for supporting a mail pouch having a curved hook at its lower portion, having a lug, and two annular collars located above said hook, and

equi-distant therefrom, substantially as de.

WILMOT G. BAILEY. Vitnesses:

EMMA WILsoN, D. W. BAILEY.

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